


Salavager Code No. 7

by Hawkright01121999



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Angst but it not too bad, Canonical Character Death, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Humor, Nia wonders why Rex is wierd, Nopon Speak, OOC Rex, Pyra being Pyra, Rex being a little shit by knowing the future, Rex enjoys surprising people or just straight trolling them, Rex goes with the flow, Rex likes being mysterious, Time Loop, Time Travel, Why Rex shouldn't be allowed away from Azurda, Zeke being Zeke
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-06-27 23:11:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19799707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hawkright01121999/pseuds/Hawkright01121999
Summary: Rex wasn't sure what would surprise him anymore, living countless lives over and over again got a person to go with the flow pretty quickly. Oh, what's that shiny silver thing piercing his chest? It's just Jin shoving a sword through his back cause he accidentally vomited in front of Lora's frozen body.Whoops.Guess it's time to go back and live another life.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Xenoblade 2 belongs to Nintendo and MonolithSoft, not me.
> 
> Now onto why I'm writing a story for Xenoblade Chronicles 2. I'll be honest the muse for this sort of popped into my head as I played through XC2 (cause I bought a Nintendo Switch in prep for Three Houses and XC2 was my first game) and I was like "what if Post-Game Rex found himself in a time-loop where every time he died or reached the age of sixty-five he'd be brought back in time?".
> 
> My response?
> 
> Oh my god, I should write something about that!
> 
> And here we are folks.

**(Third Person POV)**

It was a sunny day in the middle of a land known as Alrest, however, calling it 'land' would have been pushing the word severely.

Alrest was covered with what is known as the Cloud Sea, a name that stated its appearance. A cloud formation that covered the world akin to an ocean as if someone had copied the clouds from above and pasted them below.

Within the world of Alrest lived being known as Titans, titanic creatures that supported life in the place of landmasses. Beings that had been created by a being only known to many as 'the Architect', a godlike being that had brought the world of Alrest into existence.

To one special individual, however, the Architect was known by another name.

We find a male individual clad in blue metal diving gear beneath the Cloud Sea, swimming below its surface in search of treasure. The blue-clad figure looked around, twin beams of light emanating from lights embedded within his headgear. In the corner of the figure's eyes, the light shone upon a large metal container resting on the Cloud Sea floor.

Aiming his left hand at the ground near it, a grappling hook shot through a device on his arm and cut thought the seabed and dragged him along with it allowing him to land easily next to the metal crate. Grabbing another device from his hip he attached it to the container and activated it showing it to be some type of floatation device. With a quick jump, the figure grabbed onto the now floating cargo and watched as it slowly ascended to a crane-hook to which he latched it on. Shutting off his sea-lights on his helm, his hand sought for the controls of the crane and began to ascend in tow with the cargo.

The crane lifted up and above the Cloud Sea to show that is was connected to the posterior end of a medium-sized Titan. The blue-clad figure jumped of the crane and onto the back end of the Titan with the crate dropping behind him.

Divesting himself of his diving gear the figure removed his helmet with a sigh revealing a youthful boyish face with a head of bedraggled brown hair and golden eyes. _*Sigh*_ "We really do need to buy ourselves a new depth probe…" the boy sighed in slight annoyance as he finished divesting himself of the rest of his salvaging gear, "…the ping was off by about one-hundred-fifty peds to the east. That's not gonna fly!" he said out loud.

"And what about the treasure Rex? Was it in line with your expectations?" a wizened and old but deep voice rumbled to him in response.

"Well, it seemed pretty solid. Didn' even have to reinforce it too much," Rex replied absentmindedly as he picked up a crowbar. "Even with the labor costs, we should still be able to turn over a decent profit."

"Honestly it takes two days for you to do a structural analysis… yet you can somehow gauge the profits in an instant?" the voice replied. Suddenly the titan's head rose revealing an elongated neck connected to it, allowing it to look at the human standing upon it's back.

"Don't go rainin' on my parade, Gramps," Rex complained. "You know I'm in the salvaging trade for the cash!"

With a swing of his crowbar, he wedged it between the gaps of the container and began to apply pressure, with more and more pressure being applied it looked like it was going to pop off at any moment.

But before he could add any more pressure he stopped.

If one looked closely you could see his eyes dilate slightly before a look of intense annoyance washed over his face. Ever so slowly with a grip still on the crowbar, his head craned around himself looking at the Cloud Sea to his left and to his right, the titan to his back and beneath his feet, and to the metal crate containing untold treasure to his front.

With a thud, the crowbar fell.

"TITANS FOOT, DAMMIT KLAUS!"

"Rex is everything alright!?" Gramps asked worriedly, craning his back as far as possible to see what may have happened to his pseudo grandchild.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine Gramps," Rex grunted as he picked up the crowbar and in one deft swing pried the lid from the container showing a veritable treasure trove.

Within the container was endless caches filled with gold, equipment, and other little trinkets, however, there was one thing that was infinitesimally more valuable than anything else within the crate.

Lined against one side of the small crate was a rack that was drilled into the side of the container holding many small diamond/cube-like objects, each evenly spaced apart. In total there were twenty-six of the objects in total.

These were objects known as Core Crystals.

And Rex was for more intimate with these twenty-six core crystals than he had any right to be.

They were Core Crystals that he had used… in his previous lives.

Rex wasn't exactly sure why it happened but sometime after he died in his first life due to old age, the life where he'd defeated Malos alongside Pyra, Mythra, Nia, Dromarch, Tora, Poppi, Mòrag, Brighid, Zeke, and Pandoria, he'd found himself back in time atop Gramps' back.

Long before any of the events he'd known had actually taken place.

The first time he'd 'looped' as he'd come to call it, had left some very interesting reactions as the first thing he'd done was drop the crowbar he'd been using to pry open the metal crate unto his foot, swear, then proceed to get chewed out by Gramps for swearing so vulgarly. This was then followed up by Rex asking Gramps what was going on, which then led on too much confusion as Rex explained the events that had occurred in his first life.

When his Gramps admitted to having no recollection of any of the events that occurred was the moment Rex gained some suspicion that either he'd gone crazy, was in the afterlife, everything he'd seen was a dream, or he'd gone back in time.

Now at this point, Rex was confused. Very, very confused. As such when events began to occur the same way they had originally Rex was very quick to freak out once more.

Looking back on it now, shouting to Nia that Malos was an Aegis and was bent on destroying the world the moment he saw her in Bana's office wasn't and still isn't the smartest decision he's made to date especially when you take into consideration she'd been with Jin and Malos at the time. It was a sure-fire way to take a blade through the heart a second time.

When he woke up the third time, he'd freaked out once more and fell overboard and into the Cloud Sea without any diving gear and promptly drowned. Not a very fitting way to go out for the ex-Driver of the Aegis or soon-to-be Driver of the Aegis.

After several more retries, Rex found himself realising he was in a loop, a loop that where if he died he'd wind back up on Gramps' back just as he was about to open the crate. It was around this loop that he realised he never ended up opening the crate during his previous loops and left a crate with a krabble in it laying on Gramps' back.

Since dying for several times now, Rex could say it was a pleasant surprise not to be gored by a krabble (which was unlikely considering the amount of combat experience he had even with a blade, Malos and Jin killing him withstanding) but instead find a crate filled with a gold, equipment and Core Crystals.

Turns out somehow all of the equipment and stuff he'd ever had in his past life came back with him. Disgustingly though, this also meant that he found soggy cloud sea-soaked moldy pan-fried tartari.

After several more retries and living out his life eventually he did find out that Klaus was the reason that he kept coming back in time.

Well, actually that's a lie.

It was actually because of Ontos who through being lost in a space-time event somehow came to control the events and rewind them, events such as Rex's life who he seemed to have a vested interest of screwing with. Yes, it seemed as if one of the three core processing units of the world tree had a sense of humour and was a 'smarmy little git' as Nia would have affectionately called him. However, since Klaus made Ontos, it was all technically Klaus' fault.

_How_ Rex found out that it was Ontos's fault that his life was looping is an event better left undiscussed.

For the first twenty-four full retries where he actually lived and died by old age, Rex had saved the world twenty-four times, once per retry and found Elysium and lived and died by Pyra, Mythra and eventually Nia's side once he'd accepted her feelings properly (It took him four retires to realise she LOVED him, but hey who was counting? Certainly not that small part niggling away at the back of Rex's mind). However, twenty-four times of saving the world and being the hero got really repetitive. He'd lived longer than a titan at that point!

As such, Rex took it upon himself and do something different.

In his twenty-fifth life, he decided not to go to the Argentum Trade Guild but to Mor Ardain instead and found excitement in _not_ being Pyra and Mythra's Driver but instead being a soldier of Mor Ardain. Yes, it did hurt not being their driver but Rex realised if they weren't driver and blade, they weren't _his_ Pyra and Mythra. It was also the first time that Rex realised that without him being on the abandoned ship, it was Nia instead that became Pyra's Driver.

It was one of his more memorable lives. It didn't hurt that it was the first time he'd come blade-to-blade with Nia and Pyra was when they were escaping Gormott with Dromarch, all three of them being captured before Tora broke them out with Poppi (to whom Rex had left a little innocuous donation of three zion connectors and a bag of gold), and realised just how strong the two were. They weren't anywhere near the Strength of Malos and Aion but they were certainly a power not to be reckoned with.

Of course, considering he still had the rest of his Blades from his old lives, his second-favorite Blade, Corvin was enough to dispatch the two. Another thing that made this life memorable was that after this event and preventing them from destroying the water tower, Mòrag promoted him to be her right-hand man/boy, however, that may have had something to do with the absurd amount of blades he'd had deployed at the time (who knew having twenty-eight rare-type blades could put you on each country's watch list).

Another interesting life would have been somewhere around his fiftieth life and he did the one thing he never thought he'd end up doing.

He joined TORNA.

All things considered, they weren't that bad to be around. Sure, Patroka could be a bitch at times (read most of the time), Jin was stoic as all hell, Akhos was a 'creepy son of a bitch' in Malos' words, and Malos himself wanted to destroy the world because of his connection with Amalthus and the imprint he left behind but Mikhail was pretty cool. He knew his way around tons of engineering, let Rex do some engineering and taught him how to hold down his liquor.

It was a shame that Jin killed him in a fit of rage when he accidentally vomited on the floor in front of his Driver's frozen body, TORNA was actually a pretty cool bunch. He did join them twice more and even at one point managed to convert them from destroying the world and instead focused them on obliterating Indol.

Hey, in his defense it was either the whole world or Indol. After learning so much about Amalthus it was a pretty easy choice. Of course, Rex did quietly evacuate the citizens. TORNA's classification of quiet was quite different to Rex's definition of 'quiet', i.e. threaten them to move their arses into gear or get blown up.

As repentance, when Rex died after that life he decided the right way to fix it was to join Indol as an Indoline warrior monk.

Let's just say Rex has never and will continue to never do so again.

He'd done many other things in his life such as outing Bana and becoming chairman of the Argentum Trade Guild (Regrettable because so much paperwork but his hormones hadn't argued one bit when he found out about Bana's secretaries), made sure Vandham lived (he always made sure this happened in all his lives), and even became a farmer (not too bad a lifestyle but certainly boring).

But yes, all in all, Klaus was the reason Rex had come to blame for time loops, and this is merely another life of Rex of Leftheria.

* * *

**(Third Person POV - Rex)**

Looking at the Core Crystals Rex sighed before looking back and called out in fake excitement, "Hey Gramps! I think we hit the jackpot!"

"Oh? What did you find? Also, who's 'Klaus'" Gramps asked, curious.

"No one Gramps, just a phrase I picked up," Rex lied, "What we did find is a bunch of Core Crystals, a ton of Gold and some moldy food."

The titan's neck turned around so fast Rex could have sworn it was a whip.

"You found what?!" the rumble of his shout almost sent Rex overboard. Instead, it sent Rex tumbling into the crate and landing with a squish into one of the disgusting piles of mouldy and smelly argentum monkfish.

Rex had what could only be described as a face of utter defeat. He'd lived multiple lives but this was a new low for him. Lying in a pile of utterly disgusting smelly, rotting, and mouldy Argentum monkfish.

' _Why on Alrest did I have this much Argentum Monkfish on me?'_ Rex wondered before a blue light shone from his hand. Rex looked at in surprise and found his hand lying on a core crystal with several surrounding it. It seemed that his fall had knocked some of the core crystals off the shelf.

In a blinding white light, a figure began to form.

The figure was a blade of the female humanoid variety for the most part and had various rabbit-like features such as her hair which were braided into two large 'ears', a small tail above her tail bone, and paw-like hands and feet which had a claw that acted like stilettos for each foot. Some of her more eye-catching features were her noticeable exaggerated curves and the form-fitting ice-motif styled mini dress she wore.

The blade gave a sly knowing wink to Rex who merely nodded in return. Rex was glad his blades came back with their memories as well, strange considering if they died they completely forgot about him like normal Blades.

"The name's Dahlia! Allow me to-" Dahlia introduced herself as she usually would have but cut herself off when she noticed the state of her Driver. "Are you okay down there?"

Rex just looked up at her. "I'm sitting in a pile of mouldy smelly monkfish, all things considered… it could be worse," he grunted before slowly getting up, squishing sounds emanating from the foodstuff beneath his hands. "My name's Rex and I guess I'm your Driver, huh?"

Dahlia smiled lightly but kept wary of the slime coating her Driver's form. With a flash a ball of ice formed in her hand which flashed once more before re-forming within Rex's hands.

The ground beneath the two shook as Azurda shifted beneath them. "It would seem that you're a Driver now Rex. I must say you're remarkably calm about this," Rex's Gramps remarked with what would be the equivalent of a titan raising its brow. Gramps was curious as to why Rex was suddenly so calm about being a Driver, if anything he was expecting him to be jumping around in excitement.

"Gramps, we found the jackpot that's mixed in with mouldy garbage," Rex replied before gagging as the smell of his clothes hit him. "I don't know whether to be happy or disgusted but I think I'm somewhere in-between."

"Well you should probably go and take a dip to wash that all off Rex before you decide what to do with all of that," Gramps said as his head craned forward.

"Yeah… I guess I do," Rex muttered as he dismissed Dahlia, her form returning to base ether particles to be called on later. He gave a quick glance at the rest of the core crystals before deciding he'd be better off washing himself then figuring out what to do next.

* * *

**(Third Person POV - Rex)**

"Oi Gramps!" Rex shouted from his place on Azurda's back. After washing himself of the slime, he got to work clearing out the container and throwing out the foodstuff while separating the other items. He'd also resonated with all the core crystals and found himself with all of his Blades once more, each in their base ether form to save space.

"Yes Rex?"

"You mind setting a course to Leftheria? I think this Gold should be enough to last everyone in Fonsett about three years," Rex asked while patting the metal container that had once been filled with salvaged treasure. Now, however, it was filled with about two-million gold that would be going to Fonsett while Rex kept a million for himself. It was pretty easy to refill it each life he had so he wasn't too fussed with sending that much money back, besides it was always nice to repay his Aunt Corrine for taking care of him when he was younger.

"To Leftheria? My, I hadn't expected to be back there so soon…" Azurda rumbled, lost deep in thought. "It is getting close to my bedtime though."

Looking at the shining sun above him Rec gave the titan the stink eye. "It's not even past noon yet Gramps, what do you mean it's getting close to your bedtime?"

Laughter rumbled from the giant titan. "Hahaha, I suppose you're right. Very well I shall head to Leftheria but it will take a while, Rex, would you like to stop by the Argentum Trade Guild on the way?"

Rex had thought about it. He'd truly thought about it. But in the end, he realised whatever happened would happen. If Nia ended up as the Driver of Pyra, then so be it.

Some would call Rex jaded and callous, but in truth, he was just tired. Living life after life knowing how events would play out for a hundred lifetimes got boring, there was only so much to do before he gave in and rolled with whatever happened.

"Actually Gramps, do you mind dropping me off at Gormott while bringing the money back to Aunt Corrine?" Rex asked cautiously.

"Gormott? Whatever for?"

"Well, I need to figure out where I need to register as a Driver," rubbing the back of his head he motioned to his blades who he'd brought back into corporeal form to emphasis his point.

"Hm… are you sure this is safe Rex?" Gramps asked with a slight amount of trepidation. "I won't be able to help you if anything goes wrong."

Normally Azurda would never have thought to even think about leaving Rex by himself, his grandchild seemed quite adamant about it no matter how nervous he was. It almost helped that he had more than two dozen blades to keep him safe.

"I'll be fine Gramps," Rex assured him. "What could go wrong?"

"Just for that, I'm thinking of not letting you leave my back till we reach Leftheria."

Rex laughed good-naturedly while Gramps grumbled but he inwardly he felt guilty for asking to be dropped off. He wasn't going to Gormott to register his Blades.

He just didn't want Gramps around for any stupid decision he was going to make.

* * *

**(Third Person POV - Nia)**

Nia's day was going terribly.

Sure, it started off okay. Go to the Argentum Trade Guild to get the services of salvagers to get something with Jin and Malos. Only thing is, turns out Jin and Malos were looking for A Leftherian salvager specifically and the only Leftherian salvager that the Guild had working for them hadn't shown up for a while now.

That was the first problem but they could work around that.

Jin and Malos just cut their way through the steel hull of the ship easily enough.

No, the big problem came when they entered the center of the ship and found the package. The 'package' being a red female Blade with a green core crystal that Malos had called the Aegis. Nia wouldn't have cared herself about anything that was going on if she hadn't accidently touched the sword that was embedded into the pedestal in front of the Blade.

Just as the core crystal on the sword glowed green a pain erupted on the left side of her chest.

"J-Jin… W-Why?" Nia gasped out as a familiar silver sword slid its way out of her back, causing her to collapse before Jin caught her and gently placed her down. She was vaguely aware of Dromarch's Core Crystal falling to the ground, lifeless and inert near her hands.

"I'm sorry Nia…" Jin apologised and he did seem truly apologetic. But you couldn't just apologize for killing someone. "Don't take this personally… It's an act of mercy. I don't want you to see what comes next," he murmured, her enhanced senses barely picking up on it.

Vaguely she could feel her sister's heart beating slower and slower.

With her last breath, she could hear as Jin broke the sword, the shards landing on her dying form and Malos' last words.

"What a waste…"

Waking up in Elysium and meeting the Aegis wasn't what she'd expected after being killed. She'd raged and shouted and… then she cried. Cried at being betrayed, at being killed by Jin and Malos' uncaring words.

' _Well…'_ she thought with a sniffle, ' _At least I no longer need to hide,"_ but even that thought was half-hearted at best.

"If you could live once more…." the Aegis spoke grabbing Nia's attention, "…would you take the chance?"

Nia only looked up at her, red eyes looked down warmly at her.

"Why would I?" Nia asked rhetorically as she laid down in the grass. "There's nothing left for me there and… where are we?" Nia said before trailing off as she looked around at the immense amount of greenery.

There was a large amount of land with a sea of endless green that was fenced off by trees and in the distance beyond the tree where the Aegis stood was a village. She couldn't even see the Cloud Sea or feel the movement of the Titan beneath her feet.

In the distance, she could hear a bell toll.

The Aegis smiled that warm smile of hers. "This… is Elysium. The land where, long ago, mankind lived in harmony with their creator. This is where we were born."

Nia's pupils widened. "This is Elysium? Huh, never thought this place existed…" Nia muttered as she took it all in. But the Aegis shook her head.

"This isn't Elysium… it's just a memory of what once was…" the Aegis smiled sadly. "Nia, if you had the chance, would you live once more?"

Nia thought about it, about her and Dromarch. To be somewhere so peaceful. It almost felt like a dream to her. "If it meant I could live here… then yeah, guess I wouldn' mind."

"The real Elysium lies in your world atop the World Tree that rises from the heart of Alrest," the Aegis smiled. "I can give you half of my life force… in return, would you bring me to Elysium?"

Nia looked at her dumbfounded for a moment.

Slowly she got up and made her way to the Aegis. "Doesn't really seem like I have much more to lose, do I? I'm already dead, not like it can get worse from 'ere."

"No, I suppose not…" the Aegis could only smile sadly at those words. "My name is Pyra, I hope we can work well together."

Nia cocked her hand on her hip as she looked at Pyra, "I'd introduce myself but seems yah already know 'bout me."

Pyra giggled.

"I suppose I do Nia, don't I?"

A bright flash of light followed bark darkness returned Nia to the land of the living.

Breathing in a deep breath on the cold metal floor Nia found herself back in the same sanctum where Pyra had been sans Pyra. Nia would thank her lucky stars that Jin and Malos hadn't taken Dromarch's inert Core Crystal which she quickly tucked away before she felt the power of the Aegis flow through her.

What followed was her blasting through the hull of the ship to the top with the Aegis Sword in tow and Pyra blasting out of the capsule she'd been contained in.

A short fight ensued between Nia and Mythra against Malos and Sever.

The battle wasn't even close. With Dromarch out of the picture and Nia using an unfamiliar Blade, she was so out of her depth she was thrown around like a rag-doll. It would've been worse if Pyra hadn't been there supporting her with ether to supplement her own natural healing capabilities.

All things have to come to an end, however, as when the Monoceros appeared the cannons on its top-side deck were quick to blow her off the side of the ancient ship.

"Nia!" Pyra yelled in horror as she watched her new driver get blown off the edge. With little more than a thought, she jumped too, barely catching the younger girl in the process and held her tight.

A flash of fire erupted and the next moment, they'd vanished.

"Damn it…" Malos cursed under his breath while Jin merely watched on silently.

* * *

**(Third Person POV - Pyra)**

When Nia came too she found herself on dry soil, her head in Pyra's lap sitting by a fire. Looking up at her Blade she found her fast asleep, using a log as a resting place. Looking around she found that wherever she was had long since fallen to night.

"Where are we?" Nia muttered. Wherever she was _seemed_ familiar but she couldn't place where they were.

A loud thump caused her to bolt upright.

Looking in the direction of the noise she found a boy her age in a blue metal salvager suit with brown hair and golden eyes looking back at her as he sat on an adjacent log with a sack near his feet. Grabbing a stick, he calmly skewered it with meat he'd foraged from his sack before letting it slowly roast by the fire.

"Glad to see you're finally up, your Blade was quite frantic when I found the two of you," the boy remarked casually.

Nia's instincts from being on the run flared slightly, "Yah 'found' us?"

"Well 'found' is a pretty bad description, more like you and your Blade appeared in a flash of light with you injured and your Blade almost the same," the boy shrugged as he poked at the fire.

"Well…" Nia said awkwardly, "Thanks… I guess…"

"No worries," the boy smiled at her.

Nia's eyes caught onto his earlier words. "Wait… yah said we were both injured?" she looked at herself, "But we both seem fine now."

"Well, it has been about three days since you got here."

Nia's eyes shot open.

"Three days?!" she whisper-shouted, taking care not to wake Pyra. "Where even are we?!"

The boy looked at her curiously. "Yeah, three days. And you're in the Gormott Province, around the Lower Area."

Nia's head thumped against Pyra's soft lap with a groan, thankfully though not hard enough to wake her up.

' _Juuust great….'_ Nia thought sarcastically as she looked around finally realising why the surroundings seemed so familiar. They were in the Lower Area of the Gormott Titan.

Looking back at the boy she finally figured now was a better time as any to actually introduce herself.

"My name's Nia," she introduced.

"I know, your Blade was pretty worried about you. Even called your name a fair couple of times," the boy grinned. "But anyway, pleasure to meet you, Nia."

"The name's Rex."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rex meets girls. Rex brings girls to Torigoth. Rex is a smarmy little shit. Rex is a moron. What's new?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, while there wasn't much feedback on the previous chapter, the feedback that I got showed it was all positive which means here we are.
> 
> Also, everyone needs to understand that each chapter I make all centers around one central scene which I then build upon. Try and guess which scene it is in this chapter. Sometimes the scene is small and sometimes it's big but everything it has in common is that's it's predominantly humorous or badass.
> 
> Chapter 2 is a-go!
> 
> I forgot to mention that there is a fanfic that uses this same idea but within a different series called "RWBY" and the fanfic is called "Not this time, Fate" by Couer Al'aran and is an absolute masterpiece of a fanfic along with his other works.

**(Third Person POV)**

Rex didn't know what he was expecting when he got to Gormott. After disembarking from Gramps' back something which was barely allowed to happen, Rex decided to make a quick stop at Torigoth before heading down to the Lower Area of the Gormott Province.

He certainly hadn't been prepared for a ball of fire to fall out of the sky as he was making his way through the Old Ghostwood Road. Nor had he been prepared for the ball of fire to be Pyra and Nia.

' _Since when could Pyra do that?_ ' was Rex's first thought which was followed by _'Oh shit!_ ' as they both collapsed, Nia well beyond the point of injured and Pyra following close behind.

Quickly leaping forward and grabbing the both of them, he held them both tight, almost falling underneath their combined weight, his balanced footing barely able to hold the both of them.

"W-Where are we?" he could barely make out Pyra's weak murmur.

"Shh, I've got you, don't worry," Rex assuaged, "You're in Gormott, you can rest."

"Gormott…?" Pyra's voice grew shallower and her eyelids dipped, something Rex was becoming keenly aware of as Pyra's weight grew heavier. He may have been strong in fighting but there's only so much muscle a fifteen-year-old could have and be able to carry someone was difficult, much less two people.

"We got away from the two of them… that's goo-" Pyra's eyelids shut as she fell into deep unconsciousness, her body slumping fully against him. Unfortunately, that meant the full brunt of Pyra's and Nia's weight fell on him.

"Shit!" Rex mutter-cursed before summoning a Blade to his side, _"Corvin!_ "

The white-haired youth appeared in a burst of light ether, quickly rushing to his Driver's side with a seriousness usually lacking on his features and gently pried Pyra's body off him. The need to communicate with his Driver unneeded, already knowing what to do the moment he was asked to be by his side.

With gentleness and strength belied by his smaller stature, Corvin followed Rex who was carrying Nia to the spot that Rex had rested with the two girls and his Gramps so very long ago.

Setting the Gormotti Flesh Eater down to the soil, Rex didn't need to say a word as three bursts of ether appeared behind him with barely a sound. A burst of fire, ice, and earth had three forms stand behind him that quickly split in different directions.

A girl with black and white hair skated over to Corvin who was in the process of laying down Pyra by Nia's side while Dahlia walked over to Rex. A large black form lumbered into the darkness of the forest. "Heal them," Rex ordered softly as he looked at the injuries on at the two, silently taking stock of the type of injuries between them. Large burns and slashes spread between the two along with severe bruising.

' _Malos and Sever,'_ Rex thought, recognising the cuts on the two easily enough with how much he'd been injuries by the Aegis and his Blade himself. His eyes drifted over to the burns and bruises, _'The Monoceros…'_

"Rex…" Corvin called out as he watched Crossette and Dahlia heal the two, Crossette for Pyra and Dahlia for Nia. "Crossette said Pyra will be fine in a couple of hours with the amount of fire ether she's supplying but Nia's another story. Dahlia can't supply her ether to her, the element just isn't compatible."

Rex merely nodded understandingly. Pyra could heal five times as fast with the healing and fire ether Crossette was supplying but Rex didn't have any water-element healers on hand Dahlia and Ursula being the closest he had and there was only so much good leaving Nia in water good do, especially since she wasn't a full Blade. "That's fine Corvin, besides it'd be weird if they healed at the same time."

Corvin nodded, a grin returning to his face as the uncharacteristic seriousness disappeared. "You need me for anything else?"

"Dromarch?"

Corvin smile fell quickly as he shook his head, he did, however, point to Nia's pouch.

"I see…"

Rex thought for a minute before looking over to the darkened forest, barely able to make out the towering lumbering form of his Blade returning. Looking back at Corvin he shook his head but smiled thankfully, "No, I think I'll be fine setting up the fire by myself. Thank you for your help." It never hurt to be thankful to those who helped him, especially his own Blades with how long they'd been with him for.

Corvin nodded with a youthful grin before disappearing in a burst of light ether.

The ground rumbled softly as the black lumbering Blade made its way closer to the group, two logs of wood within each of its grasp, the giant trying its best to tiptoe its way over without being too disruptful of the healers. Gently laying the logs down next to Rex, it grinned an almost savage smile.

"Thank you, Wulfric. You've been a great help," Rex said to the gentle giant Blade to which Wulfric grinned all the more savagely before disappearing in a burst of earth ether at his own behest. Looking back over at Crossette and Dahlia, the former who gave Rex and thumbs-up and a grin while the latter gave a small smile and respectful nod signifying that this was the extent to which they would heal their charges. Without Rex's input, they burst once more in a mix of fire and ice ether like their companions.

Rex sighed. He sort of wished he never found out that his Blades could return to base ether particles without actually dying. Sure, it was useful for space but sometimes it got lonely, however, he wasn't about to force his blades to spend time with him if they wanted to do something else. So long as they answered his call when he needed them, he'd let them roam to their heart's content. Or whatever it was they did when they returned to base ether.

Looking at his two old 'new' friends he let a small smile pass his lips and began setting up camp for the night with how dark the sky was getting.

It seemed he'd found what he'd be doing for this life.

* * *

**(Third Person POV - Rex)**

_*rustle rustle*_

Rex's salvager sword was already out and ready before his eyes could even open, the sound of his pack rustling near the campfire, sleeping outside at night made a person a very light sleeper in a place filled with monsters. No matter how strong and unique Rex may have been he always was cautious no matter where he was. He didn't exactly look forward to waking up back on Gramps' back.

He was woefully unprepared for familiar female gasp that came and the sound of his pack falling to the ground causing his eyes to shoot open. It came a very awkward surprise to find his sword pointing at Pyra's neck, her ruby eyes wide in shock with his pack by her feet.

' _Uraya's arse…'_

* * *

**(Third Person POV – Pyra)**

Finding herself propped against a log was something Pyra hadn't been expecting when she came to, neither was the dulled pain emanating from her side. With barely a look, she already knew there was deep bruising but surprisingly she was otherwise fine.

When she shared her Core Crystal with Nia, she knew it'd come with a heavy drawback, that every wound that Nia sustained she'd receive them in turn and vice-versa. The amount of burns she sustained when Nia was hit by the Monoceros, along with the injuries she got from Malos, Pyra knew she was badly injured. Escaping by shifting into base fire ether should have exacerbated the wound worse, therefore, she was surprised to find most of her injuries healed.

Looking around she found herself propped against a log in front of a campfire, a sack nearby, with Nia leaning against her side, unconscious as far as she could tell through their link. On the other side of the campfire leaning against the log was a familiar boy, fast asleep as much as she could see.

She wondered why he seemed so familiar before she remembered.

" _W-Where are we?" Pyra murmured as she shifted back in a physical form, barely able to hold onto Nia._

_She was vaguely aware of a pair of arms wrapping around them, unfamiliar but holding the two. Without the support, Pyra knew she would have collapsed._

" _Shh, I've got you don't worry," the person assured her, "You're in Gormott, you can rest."_

 _Looking at the figure she could barely make out the figure of a young boy, her vision going blurry from exhaustion. "Gormott….?" she said, exhaustion ready to take over her,_ " _We got away from the two… that's goo-"_

Pyra remembered collapsing before she could finish.

' _He must have been the one that saved us,'_ Pyra thought as she got a good look at the boy. He seemed to be around Nia's age with brown hair. She was unable to get a good look at his eyes since they were closed but got a good look at his clothes which seemed to be some sort of blue metal suit paired with a similarly blue jumpsuit.

If anything, he seemed like a fairly ordinary bot. _'A boy that saved you, the Aegis, and Nia,'_ her thoughts betrayed her. Thankfully Mythra was still asleep to be able to provide any input.

* _grooooowl*_

Fortunately, or unfortunately, as some may have looked at it, Pyra's stomach growled stopping her thoughts any further. Merely one of the other many side-effects of sharing her life-force with a human.

Looking around Pyra's eyes fell on the sack next to the fire. Wondering if it had any food she could use for food, she'd apologize and but some food to refill it somehow, but for now, her mind was solely occupied by the gnawing hunger in her stomach.

She was barely ten seconds into rummaging through the sack when she found a slab of sharpened steel at her throat. It was too fast for her to even realise that there was a weapon being pointed at her, two blinks before she realised a sword was threatening her. Slowly her eyes ran down the length of the sword and up the arm holding it and found her own eyes meeting sleepy gold.

' _F-Fast…'_ ran through Pyra's mind as she realised the boy was armed. He didn't even look like he was fully awake.

The boy held the sword for a moment before his he slowly collapsed it and hung it on his back. "If you were hungry you could've just woken me up," the boy said tiredly as he got up and grabbed the bag from Pyra's loose hands who was in slight shock and confusion at the quick change in events.

She watched as the boy nonchalantly restarted the fire and began to skewer pieces of meat onto sticks and sprinkled spices on them. The pseudo-camp was soon smelling of delicious meat as it cooked.

"You gonna eat?" the boy asked as he raised a brow at Pyra, knocking her out of her daze as she realised she'd been standing in place watching him for a good ten minutes.

"O-Oh y-yes!" Pyra stammered with a small blush. "Thank you!" she said while accepting the skewers he handed her. The two ate in silence, Pyra feeling quite awkward after having been caught rummaging through his belongings. The boy, on the other hand, seemed like he couldn't have cared less.

When they finished Pyra just sat uneasily next to her new Driver while the boy kicked out the fire and began packing up the food leftover. She couldn't take it any longer, the lingering awkwardness was almost unbearable. "My name's Pyra!" she shouted suddenly, so suddenly that she caused the boy to jump a bit in surprise.

"Rex."

Emboldened by his response Pyra decided it was the time to begin asking questions, tentatively of course. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Rex," she began, "But, umm, I want to thank you for taking care of me and Nia."

Rex smiled a small smile, a grin if anything, "No worries, you two were pretty badly injured when I found you. You two looked like you were blown up or something. You sure you two are gonna be alright?"

Pyra was surprised slightly by the sudden onslaught of statements and questions. She hadn't been expecting him to be so talkative with how quiet he was earlier. "Um, I think we'll be fine but we may need to get Nia looked over," Pyra replied while looking at her Driver.

"Hm…" Rex muttered as he walked over and crouched beside Nia, "From what I can tell she has some bruisin' and burns, along with some cuts. Nothin' a few days' worth of rest and recovery shouldn't be able to fix."

"You can tell just from looking at her?" Pyra asked surprised.

"No."

Pyra was taken aback. "W-What? Then how can you tell?"

Rex's response was simple but embarrassing. Pointing to the bandages covering her own side, something which she hadn't bothered to look at earlier he spoke. "Who do you think bandaged the two of you?"

Pyra's face erupted in flames.

* * *

**(Third Person POV – Rex) (Three Days Later)**

Rex still felt bad whenever he thought about how he'd pulled his sword out in Pyra, the sweetest woman he'd ever known but he really couldn't help old instincts. Pyra, of course, being the sweet woman she was waved off his apologies after they'd spent a few days together to which Nia eventually woke up.

This was how they found themselves ascending to the upper area of the Gormott Titan with Rex promising to accompany them to the Torigoth Inn so they could get some proper rest and recovery.

Rex totally wasn't skipping over how Nia slapped him across the face when she found out he was the one to bandage them. Thankfully, Rex had been mindful to only bandage her _over_ her jumpsuit rather than underneath it considering… well… it's a jumpsuit. Enough said.

"Are you sure you're okay to be climbing Nia?" Pyra asked worriedly as she and Nia walked side-by-side behind Rex with him leading the way. "I could always carry you."

"Wha-? No way, tha's embarrassing!" Nia shook her head vehemently at her Blade. "Besides, Dromarch was able to heal me most of the way anyway, so don't you worry yerself Pyra."

Following Nia's welcome back to the land of the living, she'd immediately gone and resonated with Dromarch's Core Crystal which after the three days of being inert had returned to a shining blue.

"Indeed, you need not fret over her Lady Pyra," the white beast-blade rumbled as he plodded just behind the two. Rex saw Nia wince slightly as the beast-blade spoke. It must've been hard on her he thought. While Dromarch still had the same mannerisms as he always did, the memories he shared with his Driver were undoubtedly gone.

Rex shook his head of that train of thought and instead quietly smiled; enjoying their company. His smile dipped slightly, however, as he looked on in the distance below. Around a thousand peds to the North was the city of Torigoth and with it the Mor Ardanian military base.

"Excuse me, Rex?"

"Hmm?" Rex looked over at Pyra, Nia walking by her side quietly seeming to draw closer instinctively to the red Aegis and her white Blade.

"I- U-um, I-I was wondering exactly what your plan is once we reach Torigoth? I mean, if you don't mind me wondering of course?" Pyra asked before retreating on her question.

He would always find a small smile flitting over his lips at her sheer politeness. Something's just never changed.

"Oh, what does it matter, Pyra?" Nia interjected tersely, "Not like he'll be around for long."

Rex rose a brow. He couldn't argue with that. He'd yet to tell them he was a Driver after all and it wasn't like he _did_ have a reason to stay with them aside from you know, more than half a thousand lifetimes of travelling and living with them.

He looked from the corner of his eyes as Nia trailed her own eyes over him, able to see worry glimmer ever so slightly through hers. Rex supposed she might have been worried that he'd find about her and TORNA or that he'd get killed by them or something.

She didn't need to know he'd face them eventually anyway.

"I dunno," Rex shrugged as he relaxed his arms behind his head as he walked, "I'll probably head to Uraya or something. Heard there's a band of mercenaries there, might join up with them."

"Mercenaries?" Pyra's brow furrowed. She couldn't believe that the boy who saved them was thinking about being a mercenary.

"Mmmm," Rex nodded. "I used to be a Salvager to send money home, but a recent haul set up my family for life and I quit the Salvager business. I still do salvaging from time to time but I wanted to look for a new job."

"But why a mercenary?" Pyra still wondered.

"Well it's not anythin' to do with actually being a merc but more the mercenary group themselves, they're known as the Garfont Mercenaries," Rex explained, Pyra and even Nia listening in while Dromarch kept watch from behind. "They're big-time mercenaries who help people out. With the increasin' need for helpin' hands cause of the war, the Garfont Mercenaries tend to help out a lot of people. I guess I wanna do somethin' like that."

Pyra nodded understandingly with a smile.

Nia, on the other hand, snorted. "Yer gonna need to know how to fight, ye know tha' kid?"

"Look who's talking short-stack," Rex snarked back. Nia growled as she looked up at him, it was true. He was taller than her by not a lot but it was still a noticeable margin.

"Not like it's gonna matter for you lot though," Rex shook his head.

"Huh?" Myra and Nia asked in sync, the annoyance on Nia's face flitting to confusion as his words registered.

Rex stopped and turned around before splaying his arms out behind him, showing off the city to his back. "Welcome to Torigoth ladies and gentle-beast."

The city of Torigoth loomed before them.

* * *

**(Third Person POV – Rex)**

The quartet of Driver, Blade, and Salvager walked through the entrance archway of Torigoth and entered the city proper.

"It hasn't changed a bit…" Nia muttered as she looked at the archway.

Pyra looked as her concerned, barely able to hear what her Driver was saying. "Nia?"

"It's nothing," Nia waved off her Blades worry.

_*clap!*_

"Right then," Rex clapped his hands together drawing the attention of Blades and Driver. "I'll get you lot situated in an Inn along with some rations, then I'm off."

"You still don't need to do this for us, Rex, you've done so much for us already," Pyra thanked the blue-clad boy for his help but still tried to dissuade him from helping any further.

Rex shook his head.

"What kind of man would I be if I left you lot to fend for yourself? Nia still needs rest, besides, not like it takes a lot to help you three out," Rex shook his head and stayed his ground. Nia's face grew slightly pained as she remembered exactly how she got her wounds

Dromarch's muzzle drew into a grin, "Well we thank you for your aid, Master Rex."

"No worries about it."

As the Driver and pair of Blades walked ahead, they failed to notice as Rex pulled down a wanted poster from a nearby notice-board.

' _I wonder what'll happen now,'_ Rex wondered as he folded the piece of paper before slowly ripping it to shreds as he walked behind the three, a small trail of ripped paper following him. Rex was always curious as to what would happen if he changed things. It was something he'd began to enjoy over his many lifetimes, wondering what would change as he did things. Well, that and teasing his companions, no matter who they may be.

Sometimes he had to be careful like the time he teased Akhos for writing play scripts then finding he'd been banned for life from the Olethro Playhouse for kidnapping Nia (Rex wasn't gonna let him kidnap Iona). Of course, the next thing he knew he found himself waking back up on Gramps' back.

So yeah, he had to be careful sometimes.

It was a shame he wouldn't be able to see Nia shred the poster like she usually did, but hey, for entertainment!

"Fie! which of you has the courage to heed the Empire's call? Your strong heart today will build a strong Mor Ardain tomorrow!" Rex was broken out of his thoughts by a large call.

"Hmm wha's going on?" Rex blurted out absent-mindedly as he was brought back to reality.

"Of course, you get more than a salary! Pension and benefits are included!" the Ardanian soldier continued. "Distinguish yourself and you could even join the nobility!"

' _Oh… it's this again.'_

"Ardanian Driver recruitment seems like," Nia replied as she stopped to watch, Dromarch and Pyra watching along.

"For the glory of the Ardanian Empire and His Majesty Emperor Niall! Who of you will be the hero of tomorrow?"

"Ah…" Rex nodded, seemingly paying attention. 'Seemingly' being the keyword. In reality, he was wondering what to have for lunch. _'I can never remember if the sell Fizz Juice here or not.'_

Rex perked up as a thought struck him. "Maybe I should give it a shot," he murmured to himself. Of course, he had blades, but what could happen if he awoke another here? Would he be strong-armed into joining the army? Would he have to arrest Nia and fight her with Brighid? Oh, the results could be interesting.

"I wouldn't suggest that, master Rex," Dromarch advised cautiously.

Nia nodded in agreement. "Yeah, if ye got no potential for it you can die, you know. It's meant to be incredibly painful."

"Aaaand?"

Nia looked at him incredulously, fully turning to face him with brows raised in surprise. Pyra was the same. "Rex, didn't you just hear wha' I said?"

Rex shook his head, "No I did, I was just waiting for you to say why I shouldn't do it." He had to admit, it was sort of funny watching Nia just close her eyes for a second and watch as she openly struggled whether or not to slap sense into him.

Nia opened her eyes and grabbed him by the shoulder, golden eyes meeting golden eyes. "You. Could. Die. You. Moron."

Rex looked at her seriously, before looking Pyra who looked at him with worry in his eyes before looking back at Nia.

"Imma do it," he spoke with the utmost seriousness he almost burst out laughing.

Nia looked ready to either slit his throat open or tear out her hair. Eventually, she just huffed and let him go. "Go ahead and die fer all I care!" she said with another huff, crossed her arms and turned her nose up at him.

Rex smiled.

He could see why Nia found enjoyment in annoying Zeke and Mythra, it was fun seeing their reactions. That's it, Rex decided, he was gonna be annoying like Nia.

Of to the side, Nia gave a quiet little sneeze.

Unfortunately, before Rex could actually get up to the Driver recruitment, the large burly Gormotti man that usually dies was already up there.

' _Aww, that sucks,'_ Rex whined petulantly in his head as he realised what would happen. _'That means Jac's gonna go right after!'_

Jac and his blade were okay guys all things considered but he was pretty normal compared to other people Rex had travelled with before. And he always. ALWAYS. Went after this dude.

"Alright, c'mon Blade boyo! Show me whatcha got!" the large Gormotti arrogantly spoke as he strode up and grabbed the blade with a loud "Hrooagh!".

"He's done fer, tha' one," Nia commented as she made a deliberately exaggerated motion to _not_ look at Rex.

Suddenly his body began to seize as gold poured from him.

"A-A-A-AAAAAGH!"

Blue blood shot from between torn skin, the large Gormotti corpse falling to the ground with a thud.

"That's what happens when someone with no potential tries to resonate with a Core Crystal, you get it now, you moron?" Nia asked Rex pointedly.

"So, what you're saying is, if I want a painful death with cool blue blood, I should resonate with a Core Crystal? If not, I get a blade? Noted." Rex nodded satisfied. "Sounds great! Well, guess I'll give it a shot then!

"Aaaargh! You're a bloody idiot!" Nia shouted before lunging at him. Rex was surprised to find himself being tackled to the ground with Nia sitting on him on his hips. "I'm not gonna let you get yerself killed cause yer a moron, not till I pay you back fer saving me, Pyra, and Dromach, got it you twit?!" she garbed him by the collar of his salvager suit and yelled.

"Er, my Lady?"

"Nia, you're… um-"

"Wot?" Nia's accented growl tore through her throat as her eyes turned into glaring stars, burning as she looked at her Blades. Dromarch sweatdropped as he took a half-step back while Pyra's face flushed a shade brighter.

"You're- Um, well, you're…" Pyra stammered, her face slowly flushing brighter and brighter shades of red.

"My Lady, I think what she means to say is that your position is quite," Dromarch said before pausing slightly, "Well, I think you should look at yourself."

Nia looked down.

Rex felt her legs tighten around hips before-

"OOF!"

-he found himself writhing on the ground in pain, Nia's foot having stomped on his crotch in her hastiness to get back up.

"We shall never speak of this again, got it?" Nia growled to her blades, more than content to ignore Rex's pained groans as he squirmed on the floor.

Pyra and Dromarch nodded quietly.

* * *

**(Third Person POV - Nia)**

"So, I know we didn't wanna stay to watch the guy's enrolment stuff and all that by why are we going around this way? This road doesn't even loop back to the main plaza," Rex complained as he followed the Driver and Blades through the backstreets of Torigoth.

Pyra quirked her head and sent a questioning look to Nia. "Hmm? Then why are we going this way, Nia?" she asked in confusion.

"Well we can pass between the building up ahead," Nia pointed slightly further down the streets to a small alleyway between the buildings. "It should bring us out back into Tretl Windmill Plaza, just so we don't have to make too much of a hassle."

Rex was slightly amazed, he hadn't even known that alleyway existed. You'd think he'd have found out about it earlier. "I didn't even realise there was an alleyway there," Rex remarked.

Nia looked at him. "You know, Rex, I never got to know why you're in Torigoth. You're definitely not Gormotti after all."

Rex shrugged. "You all know how I'm making my way to Uraya, yeah?" he asked to which they all nodded. "Well my Gramps dropped me off here and I'll be taking a ship to Uraya, it's a few days wait though for the next ship since Gormott's under control of Mor Ardain."

"Your grandfather left you here all on your own?" Pyra asked, "That seems quite irresponsible of him."

"Well he's bringing back the rest of the haul I made back home, to Fonsett Village in Leftheria," Rex explained to the red-haired Blade. "Besides, I don't think he'd be able to make it Torigoth."

"Why would you leave him with such a haul of he's too feeble to even make it here?" Nia asked in confusion, after all, wouldn't it have made sense for Rex to have stayed with his grandfather _then_ go to Uraya?

Driver and Blade were surprised when Rex laughed. "Sorry, sorry," Rex apologised, "I forgot to mention Gramps is a Titan. I meant like he wouldn't have been able to fit in Torigoth without flattening the Plaza."

Nia stared at him like he'd told her Elysium was half a million titan-pedes south of the World Tree.

"Yer Gramps… is a Titan?" Nia made a show of looking him over. "How the bloody 'ell does that work?"

"I'm adopted," Rex rolled his eyes as he watched the understanding flit across their faces.

"Ah."

Heavy footsteps interrupted them as several Ardanian soldiers made their way to them from both sides, quickly surrounding the four. "Halt! Nobody move!" a voice called out as one of the Ardanian soldiers stepped forward, this one of a higher rank judging by how tall and pointy his helmet was.

"Looks like imperial soldiers," Dromarch remarked as he looked at their surroundings, haunches raising. Behind him Pyra and Nia readied themselves.

"Jus' great," Nia muttered. Out of the corner of her eyes, she was slightly surprised to see Rex fall into a fighting stance as well.

"Oi, what's going on?" Rex called out, his eyes narrowing.

"That fugitive in your company is an enemy of the state!" the Ardanian commander replied pointing directly at her. "She's a member of TORNA."

Her blood ran cold.

"Nia, a member of Torna?" she faintly heard Rex whisper.

She didn't want him to find out like this. She didn't want him to find out at all.

"Isn't Torna that one country that fell like five-hundred or so years ago? I thought she was Gormotti?"

Nia almost gaped as she turned around to look at him and found him scratching the back of his head in confusion.

"…"

"Is this kid for real?" she faintly heard one of the soldiers' mutter.

"I think he might be," another soldier muttered back

The commander shook his head at his soldiers before looking back at Rex. "TORNA is a group of fugitives that have been stealing Core Crystals across all three countries and have been attacking Indol's Core Crystal supply. The girl you're with is a fugitive of that group. Gormotti Driver, and white beast-form Blade. She looks exactly like her wanted poster!""

"Oh," Rex almost sounded disappointed. "I thought you actually meant Torna. Wait, what wanted poster?"

"See for yourself!" he said as he unrolled a piece of parchment to show-

"Oi, what the hell?! Is tha' supposed to be me or something?!" Nia growled at the commander as she looked at the atrocity he was holding. I looked like someone who didn't know what a Gormotti looked like and fused her with some sort of beastly hag.

"It looks just like you!" Rex said in mirthful delight causing her to round on him instead.

"Oi, watch it!" she hissed

"And what about you, huh? You look like a Driver too," Nia was shocked when the commander rounded on Rex as well. "What's your registration number?"

' _What?'_

"I'm not a Driver," Rex protested but was cut off.

"That Blade behind you begs to differ," he pointed to Pyra, which caused both Rex and Pyra to look at each other in confusion. "All new Drivers must register with Indol! No registration number must mean you're an illegal unregistered driver."

"Oi! She's my blade!" Nia hissed as she drew the Aegis sword, handing her twin rings to Dromarch as Pyra began to supply ether.

"What the- she has two Blades?!" the commander squeaked. "Men!"

The soldiers raised their weapons causing the four to ready themselves once more. "Rex," Nia called out behind her to the boy. "Dromarch, Pyra, and I are gonna make our move. Get ready to run."

"…"

She hadn't expected him to say anything back but that was fine. "I'm a terrorist Rex, it's us they want. They won't go after you, you need to get out of here, do you understand, Rex?"

"…Your wanted poster looks exactly like you, you know that Nia?"

"Wha-? Now's not the time for tha' you, moron!" she hissed at him. Her ears picked up the sound of a sword being drawn. She jerked in surprise and turned to see Rex readying his own weapon, a foldable broadsword.

"Nia, I've been in Torigoth for a few days now. I've seen your poster every time I've entered the city and left it," Rex admitted causing Nia to look at him in shock. "I knew exactly who you were when I helped you and Pyra. I knew exactly who you were when I bandaged the two of you up and brought you here."

He looked over his shoulder and back at her, "I knew who you were when I brought you into the city and tore your wanted poster off the city noticeboard. Trust me when I say, I'm not about to leave you after all that."

Nia felt herself tear up a bit. "Rex… why?" she bit out.

"Pyra said the two of you were running away from two other people when I found her before she collapsed. I told you, I'm young, not stupid Nia. I can put two and two together," he replied before giving her a grin. "Besides pretty sure they're gonna take me in either way for being an accomplice."

It took Nia a second to digest but she eventually gave in and nodded, the rifles being readied at them seemed far more important at the moment. "Okay, we go on three. Pyra an' I will take left, you an' Dromarch take right."

"Sounds easy enough," Rex grinned as if he wasn't about to go against some of Mor Ardain's finest.

"Ok, let's do this!"

"S-seriously? You're gonna resist?" the commander squeaked in fear.

"One… Two…"

"A-All right, men! We've got them outnumbered – move in and take them down!"

"THREE!"

Nia charged at one of the weaker soldiers fully intent on knocking him out, she could feel the link between her and Pyra growing. "Sword Dance!" Nia activated one of the Arts available to her as she jumped fluidly between bullets, weaving between them before she reached the soldier. With a swing of her blade to the soldier's head using the butt of the sword, he was out like a light.

Out of Nia's and Pyra's sight, Dromarch watched in shock as Rex took on all four of his opponents. Even without the use of a Blade or Arts, Rex was showing he was more than he seemed. He wove between bullets and swinging bayonets with a grace unbefitting a fifteen-year-old salvager and seemed more like something you'd see a Blade do.

He watched as Rex used the flat of his blade to soak up damage before seamlessly moving into a tornado of swinging metal, his blade revolving as he spun knocking away the soldiers with the back of his blade. One soldier took an unlucky hit to the head causing him to be out for the count. Shaking his head, Dromarch lunged forward with his Twin Rings with his maw and begging to slash away in hopes of assisting.

It was only a few more moments before both enemy sides had fallen, unconscious and thankfully nothing that couldn't be healed with a few days' rest.

"Th-they're so strong! Such strength from a measly two fighters…." the commander shouted he watched his men fall like flies, "They're Drivers, all right!"

"I'm not a Driver!"

"Rex! Now!" Nia shouted as Rex looked over at her.

"You got it!"

Their escape though was quickly cut off by a wall of azure flames blocking their path, almost as if they'd faded into existence. "Blue flames?" Nia muttered as she at the flames blocking their path.

"Such a commotion," an airy voice whispered through the air, footsteps clicking in the dirt somehow causing the four to turn around. A woman with blue fire wreathing her arms and legs, almost like thigh-high boots and long gloves made of flamed walked forward. In her hands were two slender swords with an ornate blue flower on the handle of the blade. "Just when I'd thought I'd be able to enjoy some peace and quiet."

Nia stared at the Blade, for what else could she be? Unfortunately, it seemed Rex had other thoughts.

"You're a Blade, aren't you?" he asked, his sword raising. "Would I be right to assume that your name is Brighid? Where's your Driver?"

"My Driver is otherwise engaged at present. I am here alone."

"You know her?" Nia asked him, her sword readying as Pyra and Dromarch did the same.

Rex shook his head. "Not exactly. Her name is Brighid, the Burning Jewel of Mor Ardain. One of the two powerful royal Blades in the Ardanian Kingdom, and the Blade of the Flamebringer. Blade of Mòrag Ladair, Special Inquisitor of Mor Ardain."

Nia, Pyra, and Dromarch froze at way Rex just casually said they were facing such a powerful and renown foe.

Brighid stood quietly, then… she spoke.

"You know quite a lot, boy. I believe you also more than you are letting on, I've only heard of that title in… a book," her twin rapiers rose but were pointed solely at Rex.

"I will ask you this; how do you know of that title?"

Rex grinned as his sword rose into a combat-ready stance.

Everyone looked at him like he was a lunatic.

Nia was slowly finding out Rex had a propensity for creating trouble with his words. She truly didn't even know how right she was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Ladies and Gents, here we are with the second chapter! Honestly, I could've written more but I'm already at 6k words so I'm cutting it off now cause there's still so much to write.
> 
> I sort of liked this chapter since at first, it shows Rex can be mature but later on he's essentially being a smarmy little shit. Also, yes, 'Burning Jewel of Mor Ardain' is on purpose since Aegaeon is shown to be used by Hugo Ardanach in the Aegis Wars and I was like 'why doesn't he have a cool title?
> 
> So now he does.
> 
> Brighid is the Burning Jewel of Mor Ardain while Aegaeon is the Flooding Jewel of Mor Ardain.
> 
> Totally not a way for Brighid to completely gloss over Pyra and focus more on wondering why a little kid knows more about her past, especially when the 'books' she mentioned was her personal diary.
> 
> Also, next chapter Rex will be even more of a smarmy little shit. And keep in mind Rex has been in Torigoth for a few days now, who knows what he's done before he brought Pyra, Nia, and Dromarch there.
> 
> Themes of next chapter:
> 
> \- Fish
> 
> \- Pan-Fried Tartari
> 
> \- Milk
> 
> \- B&E
> 
> \- Rex's pet
> 
> Do I still have any clue where I'm going with this story? Haha no
> 
> Does Rex know what he's doing? Lol of course not.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things go right but also terribly wrong. Is that really a surprise though? Only... who did it go wrong for?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are in Chapter 3 folks, still going surprisingly strong but I don't expect that to be for much further since I'll be starting Uni again this coming Tuesday so need to focus on that.
> 
> In this chapter, we'll be 'completing' the Gormott arc.
> 
> Ahead-we-go!
> 
> Also, I found out that Rex is fifteen from one of the commenters, who knew? It's been updated in the previous chapter to reflect that now.

**(Third Person POV)**

"Captain Padraig," Brighid said gaining the Ardanian captains' attention. "You are to capture these four alive, is that understood?"

"L-Lady Brighid?" the captain saluted in confusion.

"Am I understood, Captain?" she repeated.

"Y-Yes, milady!" he saluted once more before rounding on his troops. "Men, get the you-know-what!"

"Sir!" The two soldiers saluted before running off leaving Captain Padraig and the Jewel of Mor Ardain behind.

Rex and Nia's weapons rose, a sword made of junk steel and the other spewing gouts of fire ether. Behind them, Dromarch readied his Twin Rings while Pyra began to supply ether to her Driver. In front of them, the captain adjusted the aim of his rifle while Brighid stood there calmly with her twin rapiers by her side.

Brighid took a step forward and spoke, "If you cease your resistance and surrender, you shall be unharmed. Continue to resist and lethal force shall be implemented."

"Yeh, no' gonna happen," Nia growled as she lowered herself. By her side, Rex adjusted his stance, ready to lunge.

"Nia, you, Pyra, and Dromarch take on Brighid. I'll take out the Captain, then I'll help you. Sound like a plan?" he asked.

Nia nodded, "Sounds like a plan. On three?"

"On three."

Brighid shook her head in disappointment, "I see you have chosen to continue resisting. Very well, Captain, lethal force may be implemented at your discretion, however, no killing."

"Aye!"

"One…"

For the second time, Brighid's sword rose.

"Three!"

In less than a second, Nia and Dromarch were on the 'Strongest Blade of Mor Ardain'. Fire and water clashed against blue flames, flecks of steam and smoke rising from their battle.

With the other two fighters, Rex shot forward like the wind already halfway to Captain Padraig before he could get in his first shot. By the time the first bullet left his rifle, Rex's junk sword was already turned sideways using the flat of the blade as an impromptu shield to soak up the shots, tiny dents forming in the blade as the bullets impacted the flat side.

"Yer dun!" the captain shouted as he continued to shoot more bullets as Rex continued his approach.

Back with Nia as she dodged a swipe of one of the twin swords which what do you know, turned out to be bloody whip swords she found out as she tried to block a strike only for the sword to suddenly extend and wrap around her own, almost yanking the Aegis Sword out of her grip. A swipe of said whip swords sent an X of blue flames flying at her necessitating her to jump out of the way lest she get burnt

"Bloody 'ell, I know she's meant to be strong and all but this is ridiculous," Nia muttered as she skidded across the dirt, coming to a halt next to Pyra. She took a breather as Dromarch sent water flying to the blue-flamed Blade.

"Aqua Wave!" the white-beast Blade roared as his Twin Rings spun in the air, a wave of water and healing ether flooding from them. Unfortunately for them, while the wave of healing arts was a nice touch, the water barely touched Brighid as she sent out another wave of fire evaporating it in a near-instant.

"Dromarch!" Nia yelled as she tossed the Aegis Sword over her head while grabbing onto the familiar handles of Dromarch's Twin Rings as they flew through the air. "Gemini Loop!" she yelled as she dashed towards Brighid whose whip swords came flying at Nia only to suddenly retract and block a red sword that had come out of nowhere. Pyra using the momentum leveraged her weight on the handle of her sword before backflipping in a feat of gymnastics.

While Brighid was sufficiently distracted by the Aegis, Nia got in two crippling strikes to her side. "Gah!" Brighid hissed in surprise and slight pain of the wound before she swung both swords outwards in a circle, flames rushing at both Nia and Pyra.

"My Lady!" Dromarch shouted helpless to do anything without his weapons by his side. Instead, he jumped in front of his Driver, a shield of ether forming before him to which the flames crashed against like an unrelenting flood. Similarly, Pyra formed her own ether shield to hold back the flames.

"Do you truly think this will be enough?" the blue-flamed Blade questioned as she pumped more and more ether, the flames increased in intensity and size.

"My Lady!/Nia!" Dromarch and Pyra yelled as cracks began to form on both of their ether shields, Dromarch's' cracking slightly faster than Pyra's.

"I know!" Nia hissed. Brighid was an unrelenting force, continuing to pump ether to supply her flames as they slowly increased in intensity, the air getting hotter and dryer the longer they fought.

"Hyaa!"

The flames came to a stop as the sounds of metal clang in the air. Rex charged at the blue-haired Blade, the Captains' unconscious form out for the count behind him. With a leap he swung, his junk blade clashing against Brighid's' twin swords as she cut off her ether to block him.

Brighid was honestly surprised when she found her swords locking against his, a battle of strength and will. A battle of strength and will between a _human_ and _blade_. _'Who is this boy?'_ she wondered as she slowly began to pump ether once more into her sword setting them aflame.

"Rex!"

"Wild Roar!"

A blast of water ether flooded the two, weakening Brighid significantly as Rex broke the blade-lock and jumped backward to Nia's side. "You right, Rex?" Nia asked concerned as she looked him over, nothing more than a few cuts against his salvager suit and some singed hairs.

Rex grimaced a bit as he answered, "Could be better, honestly," he showed her his sword, sections of it unable to handle the flames of the Blade as it turned to melted slag.

"Nia?"

"Yeah?"

"You ever had that moment where you think "I didn't think this through"? I'm having that moment right now."

Nia shook her head at him, astonished and amazed at his attitude in a time like this. "No' the time, Rex." She looked back at Brighid who was still recovering from the water. "Yah wouldn' happen to have any bright ideas would ya?"

"Aside from picking our asses up and run? No, can't say I do." Rex shook his head.

*thud thud thud*

Footsteps clattered down the road as more soldiers came running. "Wonderful," Nia remarked sarcastically as she readied herself, "Reinforcements." Dromarch's rings returned to him as Pyra and himself got ready to fight.

"Nia, you need to go."

"Wha-?" she looked at Rex in confusion.

"Nia, they're bringing ether nets. If they get you, you'll be caught and your ether supply with your Blades severed. You need to go, _now_." he urged her, eyes never leaving the Ardanian soldiers and the Blade.

"Rex, I'm no' 'bout to leave ya here!" Nia rebuked, raising the Aegis Sword as she did so. Like hell she was going to leave him behind.

"Nia, you're a wanted terrorist. In comparison, all I've done is resist arrest. Between the two of us, I think I'll be better-"

"As lovely as that sounds, neither of you shall be going anywhere," Brighid's voice was soft but unyielding like steel as she finished getting up. "Especially not you, I have questions I need answered," her voice was still soft as she rushed Rex, her sword clashing against his.

"What-?" was all Rex managed to get out before his sword rose to black the attack. Unfortunately, his junk sword could only take so much punishment before it snapped.

"Argh- dammit!" Rex cursed as he looked at melted sword hilt clasped in his hand while Nia took charge and fought against Brighid. With barely a moments thought he threw the melted handle to the side and grabbed the first thing he could reach from his bag and chucked it at the blue-haired blade in the hopes it'd do something.

And do something it did.

_*sl-uarp!*_

Nia stopped and stared.

Pyra stopped next to Rex as the ether supply to Nia cut off and she stared as well.

Dromarch stopped gathering ether into his rings and stared.

The Ardanian soldiers stared and wisely took several _dozen_ steps back, two lifting up their unconscious captain as they did so.

"Hey Nia, I'm getting that feeling again."

Brighid's eyes cracked open the slightest of margins, baleful orbs of purple shining as the offending three-foot object slid off her face ever-so-slowly. Bits of slime residue and mould sticking to the normally steadfast Blades now almost incensed face.

' _Why do I always have mouldy fish on me?'_ Rex wondered, followed by, _'Oh shit, she opened her eyes.'_ Rex had only ever seen Brighid open her eyes five times in his lifetimes. What followed never ended well.

"Men… arrest him!" Brighid growled, eyes alight while her soldiers saluted shakily to her.

"M-Ma'am!"

Rex found himself blindsided by more Ardanian soldiers, aiming launchers at him. Looking around he knew what needed to be done.

"Pyra, follow the road down till you hit a dead-end turning left. At the dead-end turn right and you'll find that the wood wall is a false door leading to a house. A friend of mine will be able to help you out, tell him I sent you- Grah- shit!" Rex quickly spoke, barely loud enough for Pyra to hear much less anyone else before he found himself wrapped up in glowing Ether nets.

"Rex!" Nia yelled out in dismay as her short-term friend was captured.

"Pyra, go! Take Nia and Dromarch and run!"

"You shall not escape!" Brighid's flames fanned out in a large circle, trapping them but leaving her wide open to one more of Dromarch's attacks.

"Wild Roar!" water ether gushed forward, soaking the flame blade and dousing the flames enough for a hole in the wall of fire to be seen.

"Gurk!" Brighid gasped as she was flooded with water, her powers dimming severely once more while the soldiers were dragged away by the flood.

"Nia, we need to go. Now." Pyra urged her Driver insistently. As much as she wanted to help Rex, she knew he'd be dismayed if they didn't follow his advice. He wanted them to escape.

"We can' jus' leave 'im Pyra!" Nia disagreed vehemently, fully intent on helping him.

"Nia, just go!" Rex shouted at her like a glowing five-foot worm. "I've only resisted arrest remember? The most they can do to me is keep me captive for a couple o' days, I haven't committed any crimes. If you stay you'll be executed! Just go, I'll be fine!"

"Tch, yer not makin' this any easier Rex!" Nia growled, uncertainty in her eyes as she looked at his downed form then back at Pyra and Dromarch who were more than ready to run.

"Nia, I'll be fine. Do what you need to do and run. Run from whoever is coming after you, you don't need to worry about me," Rex flopped around as he spoke. "Whatever the Ardanian say, I'll be fine. The law will protect me, just go already yeh bloody cat!"

"Grrr, fine!" Nia growled as the ether supplying her sword rained away and she holstered it on her back. "I'll find you one day though, yeh hear me?!"

"Looking forward to it."

With a heavy breath and heart, Nia ran with Dromarch and Pyra. Giving them one last grin, Rex smiled before his face smooshed into the dirt with a thud.

' _Man, I really messed up.'_

A shadow fell over him.

He didn't need to look up to know Brighid was looking down on him in disdain. He could hear her teeth grinding after all.

"Captain Padraig, take this boy to the Consul's office. He shall be questioned extensively by Lady Mòrag come tomorrow morning." Brighid's tone brokered no argument.

Captain Padraig was more than wise enough to not comment on her current condition, instead grabbing the blue-clad boy while his subordinates grabbed the boy's equipment. If they heard screams of rage as they walked to the Consul's office or saw gouts of blue flame rise from where they had once been, they certainly weren't going to turn around and check it out.

There were just some things men knew not to mess with.

* * *

**(Third Person POV – Pyra)**

Pyra felt a large burden of guilt as they ran down the road and reached the turn Rex had been talking about. Just as Nia and Dromarch were about to turn, she grabbed Nia's shoulder. "Pyra?" Nia looked at her questioningly as she moved over to the wall Rex had described. A wall made of wood. "Pyra, we need to get going!"

"No, Nia." Pyra disagreed as she shook her head, the door pushing inwards much to Nia's and Dromarch's surprise. "Rex said to go this way."

"Rex did?"

"Mmm, come on before we get caught," she motioned to join her. Nia and Dromarch looked at each other before nodding, joining Pyra before she closed the door. It was only a few seconds too soon as right after Pyra closed the false wall behind them, heavy footsteps resounded from beyond the wall.

*Thud thud thud*

It was a few seconds of tense breathing before the footsteps faded away. With a sag of her shoulders, Nia let out a relieved sigh before rounding on her fire-element Blade. "Pyra, what the hell is goin' on? How'd you know about this place?" she asked, aggrieved. Too much had happened in the scant few minutes prior and very little was making sense to the Gormotti girl.

Pyra could only grimace guiltily at her Driver. "Before we ran, before Rex was captured, Rex he… he told me we needed to run. He told me about the false wall, and that there'd be someone who'd be able to help us."

Before Nia could say anything, Dromarch intervened already able to see the aggravation clearly on his mistress's features, the conflict rushing across her face. "My Lady, perhaps now would be the perfect time to rest and recuperate before deciding on a course of action."

Nia nodded stiffly. Letting go a deep breath she walked past her Blades. Dromarch looked over to his fellow Blade, Pyra watching her Driver walk away with emotions flittering across her face, most of which being guilt, concern, and conflict. "Perhaps it would be best we follow. Milady is most aggravated after the current state of affairs, especially after Master Rex's capture."

Pyra nodded wordlessly but followed Dromarch nonetheless. They both caught up with Nia before entering what seemed to be a house of some sort. It looked quite small all things considered with a kitchen and a second story to the house.

"Intruders detected and unrecognized. Initiating defensive procedures." a mechanical voice spoke before the three found themselves beset by a small figure, spinning blades coming their way.

"W-Woah!" Nia yelped before ducking under the swing. "Wha' the hell?!" she swore as she looked at the small figure as it came to a halt with its spinning slash. The figure was some sort of robotic girl.

"Milady?!"

"Nia!"

Both blades took defensive stances in front of Nia, eyeing the small figure. All four, however, were distracted by a series of thumps coming from the second level.

"Mehmehmeh! Poppi?! What's going on down there?" a strangely accented voice called out from above. A few seconds later a large Nopon came falling from the second floor. With a roll and assistance from 'Poppi', the large Nopon's eyes fell on the three. "Mehmeh?! What Blades and Driver doing in house of Tora?!" he flailed around before grabbing onto the weapon in the hands of the machine.

Nia and Dromarch raised their own weapons in return.

"W-Wait, please! This is a misunderstanding!" Pyra intervened, desperate to prevent any casualties. "Tora, is it? Rex told us to come here! He said someone would be able to help us!"

Apparently, that was the right thing to say as the Nopon stilled. After a few more seconds he seemed to holster the shield that the machine head used to clash at Nia on his round back. "Rex-Rex told Driver and Blades to come to Tora?" the Nopon questioned. Behind him, the machine tilted its head slightly.

Nia and Dromarch looked at Pyra, slowly holstering their own weapons. With a nod, Nia let Pyra take the lead. "Um, yes he did. He said to go through the wall, that a friend of his would be able to help us." Pyra explained, pointing to the false door down the corridor they'd came through.

"You are friend of Rex-Rex?" Tora asked with wide eyes.

The three nodded uncertainly.

"Then friend of Rex-Rex is friend of Tora!" the large Nopon gave a toothy grin, "Come! Come to house of Tora. Poppi! Driver and Blades are friend of Rex-Rex!" he said to them before talking to the small robot.

The robot tilted its/her head.

"They are friend of Unclepon Rex-Rex?"

Pyra, Nia, and Dromarch looked at each other then at the Nopon and Robot.

"Uncle!?"

* * *

**(Third Person POV – Nia)**

The five of them were seated at Tora's dining table, a circular divot in the ground with a table to sit around. Tora had been nice enough to allow Pyra to use his ingredients and cook for them, much to Tora's delight.

Nia looked over at the Nopon gobbling down food, Dromarch and herself following at a much more sedate pace, Pyra eating daintily while the robot now known to them as 'Poppi' hadn't even touched her plate of food. "Uh, Tora? How exactly do you know Rex?" Nia asked inquiringly. After finding out that Rex was Poppi's 'Uncle' had left questions, questions she wouldn't mind answers to if anything to help get her mind off the day's events for even a moment.

Tora stopped for a moment from eating and thought. "Tora… became friends with Rex-Rex after Rex-Rex break into house of Tora!" he said cheerfully.

"Rex… broke into your house?" Pyra was almost aghast. "Why on earth would he break into your house?"

Tora merely pointed to a small console that was barely visible beyond the doorway from their position. "Rex-Rex break into house of Tora to play game passed down to Tora from Grampypon! Tora not know though how Rex-Rex know about game," Tora scratched his head with one of his wings. "Tiger! Tiger! game is broken, however, so Rex-Rex fix it before passing out!"

Nia and Pyra weren't exactly sure how to respond to that. "Lemme get this straigh'. Rex… broke into your house cause o' some old game, fixed it an' passed out?" Nia asked, her head swimming with more and more questions. For one, she could believe him doing something like that with how little she knew about him, but, _why?_

"Mhmm!" Tora agreed.

"And you became friends after that?" Pyra asked.

"Nonono—Tora and Rex-Rex became friends after Rex-Rex wake up and apologise. To pay Tora back, Rex-Rex help Tora get necessary materials for Poppi." he explained. "After helping Tora, Rex-Rex become good friend."

Nia's head swiveled on a turn as she looked at the robot beside Tora. "He helped make you? Is that why you call him 'Uncle'?"

"Unclepon Rex-Rex help masterpon purchase final materials for making Poppi. Very expensive materials." Poppi informed them.

"Uh… okay…" was all Nia could say to that. "Back to earlier, you said Rex passed out? Do you know why?" Nia wasn't sure why she was continuing to ask questions.

Poppi rose her hand and shook it like an excited child. "Uncle Rex-Rex was inebriated!"

What.

"Excuse me?" Pyra covered her mouth in shock.

"He was wha-?!" Nia questioned.

"Unclepon Rex-Rex was inebriated when breaking into masterpon's house. After helping finish Poppi, Poppi scan Unclepon Rex-Rex." Poppi nodded assured. "Uncle Rex-Rex consumed large quantity of Arduran Milk. Pure Arduran Milk contains trace amounts of ethanol due to fermentation."

Nia just stared. Too much information was getting shoved into her head and none of it made sense. "Wha-?" was all she uttered.

"Um… where is Rex-Rex actually?" Tora asked looking around curiously for the blue-clad salvager.

The guilt in both Pyra and Nia came plummeting back. "Uh… he's…"

* * *

**(Third Person POV - Rex)**

Rex was sort of surprised by the way he was treated. He wasn't placed in solitary confinement like Nia had been which all things considered was pretty good. Instead, he was placed under watch and guard in Consul Dughall's office with meals coming at 8000, 1200, and 1800 Ardanian Military time.

Being under watch and guard certainly gave time for Rex to think. What to think about?

' _I'm surprised it took me this long to get arrested,'_ Rex mulled over as he laid down on the Consul's floor. He was allowed to sit on the couches but where was the fun in that? _'Considering I've socked Dughall in the middle of Torigoth before, I'd thought I'd have been arrested far sooner.'_

With how much lives Rex has lived, he'd certainly turned to crime in some of them. It wasn't known well but Pandoria certainly knew how to lock-pick and was more than willing to teach how to do it. Rex had broken into several important places with that particular skill set.

"Lady Mòrag, surely you needn't question this boy yourself?" the bumbling Consul's voice was easily heard from beyond his office walls.

The familiar accent of the Mor Ardanian Special Inquisitor's voice washed over Rex's ears. "Consul, what questions I have for this boy are not of your concern. Your concern should be the arrest of the TORNA fugitive within _your_ area of command."

The door swung open.

Familiar clacking of armored boots against wood floor paused for a moment. Slowly the clocking rose back up as he heard her walk over to his little space on the floor. Cracking open an eye, a single gold orb met two brown. Behind Mòrag was her ever-loyal Blade, though with how intently Brighid wasn't looking at him, he'd probably say she was still mad.

"You were not what I was expecting when I was told an accomplice of TORNA had been captured. One that managed to hold back Brighid and defeat Captain Padraig at that." Mòrag remarked blandly.

"And I was expecting to go sleep in my room in the Inn and make some Pan-Fried Tartari but here we are." Rex shot back from his place on the floor.

He took note of the almost imperceptible upturn quirk of her lips. Turning around Mòrag addressed the soldiers keeping watch of him along with the Consul behind her. "Leave us, I shall interrogate the prisoner."

The two soldiers saluted silently but Dughall spoke up. "Special Inquisitor, is it truly wise for one such as yourself to be alone with the accomplice?"

A sharp glare was returned causing the rotund man to flinch. "Consul, continue questioning me and I shall have you stripped of rank for Insubordination. Is that clear?" her voice was cold as ice.

"M-Ma'am!" Dughall couldn't have spat out fast enough to run.

The two soldiers followed him but at a slower pace. Walking over, Brighid shut the door and locked it with a click. Walking over to the sole desk in the room Mòrag sat down. Rex, on the other hand, found himself being hauled up like a sack of potatoes by the collar of his suit by a warm almost burning hand.

"Ow," Rex glared at Brighid as she deposited him in front of the desk, a glare she was more than glad to return with greater intensity.

"If the two of you have had enough, perhaps I can begin with the questioning?"

Breaking eye contact with the Blade, he nodded at the Special Inquisitor. "Go for it."

Mòrag rose a brow at his nonchalance but chose not to question it, instead pulling out a small list of questions from her breast pocket. "I will be asking you a series of questions, each of which I need you to answer truthfully. If you comply, I will see to it that you are released after you have spent time for resisting arrest." she addressed Rex with a firm tone.

Rex looked at her unimpressed. "You do realise I resisted arrest because I was unlawfully being arrested for being an internationally illegal Driver? Something which I was not. I also was arrested for being an accomplice of TORNA when I hadn't known Nia was a member, right?"

Mòrag looked at him with a similarly unimpressed gaze. "You still resisted arrest and assaulted the Blade of a high-ranking officer of the Mor Ardanian Army with produce. Do you deny that?"

"Pfft no." Rex gave an infuriating chuckle, much to Brighid's consternation.

Mòrag rose a hand as Brighid hands were ablaze, holding her rapier-whips in both hands alight with flame and her face contorting in aggravation. Brighid almost looked like she was contemplating ignoring the unsaid order, but eventually acquiesced.

"What is your name, place of residence, and occupation."

"Rex, Fonsett Village in Leftheria, and ex-Salvager of the Argentum Trade Guild."

"This will need to be checked over extensively at a later date to ensure this is true, do you understand?" Mòrag asked as she wrote down his answer.

"Loud and Clear."

"Very well," she nodded in acceptance as she flipped through some reports. "It says here that you arrived on an unregistered Titan within the last week. Does that Titan belong to you or is it a roaming one? In addition, what are your reasons for visiting Torigoth?"

Rex shrugged his shoulders at the first question. "Gramps is the caretaker of Fonsett Village. I lived on him while I was a Salvager but after a particularly good haul I asked if he could drop me off here before bringing the haul back to Leftheria," he explained, "I'm looking to take a ship Uraya since Gramps couldn't take me all the way."

"I see…" Mòrag muttered. "And your reasons for heading to Uraya?"

"Is this something I need to answer?" Rex asked in confusion. He didn't think this was how interrogations were meant to go. He'd seen T-elos do an interrogation and the one he was getting in comparison was so tame it may as well be lukewarm water.

"It is to ensure you are not a threat to the citizens of Gormott and Mor Ardain. It will also allow us to track you should we need to bring you in for questioning again in the future," Mòrag supplied calmly.

Rex admitted it made sense on some level. Maybe it was Ardanian policy or something? He'd never really paid attention to the minor details. "I'm looking to joining the Garfont Mercenaries," Rex answered truthfully. He didn't see any reason not to.

"Interesting…" was Morag's only reply. "Okay I believe that is all for the questions," she said as she tapped the papers into a neat pile on the desk before relaxing in the chair, her hands clasped together as her elbows came to a rest on the surface of the desk. She looked at him with her ever sharp eyes. "Now, I believe the interrogation may begin."

' _Well, damn…'_ he thought dumbly, of course, it couldn't have been easy. "Wasn't that the interrogation?"

Mòrag gave a thin smile. "No, it wasn't. That was merely the regulation questions submitted when requiring to profile a prisoner. Consider this interrogation more of a vested personal interest."

"Okay…" Rex nodded unsurely this time. He couldn't exactly say he'd had experience with actual interrogations much less being on the receiving end.

"Why were you traveling with the Gormotti TORNA member-"

"Ex-TORNA." Rex interrupted.

"Excuse me?" Mòrag seemed stunned by his interruption.

"She's Ex-TORNA. She's on the run from them." Rex grinned, a small idea forming in his head.

Mòrag's eyes met his, a firm resolve standing behind them. "Ex-TORNA? If you don't have sufficient proof, I'm afraid I won't be able to take you at face value."

"How about we make a deal." Rex suggested, the small grin on his face growing ever-so-slightly larger.

A finely plucked eyebrow rose. "I'm afraid you don't have anything of value to supply. You are a prisoner, you have nothing to offer."

"I have information." Rex replied, his grin turning smug. "I have information on your Blade's past."

Mòrag thought about it before shaking her head. "My Blade's past is of no relevance to you."

"Oh? That's a shame."

Mòrag leaned forward, closely examining Rex. "Should you have any other information, however, that may be of value I would be open to negotiating terms."

Rex gave her an odd look. "This seems like a bit of a stretch of your powers, don't you think."

"Let's consider this less of being here within my official capacity as Special Inquisitor, and more a… concerned citizen." Mòrag gave a barely-there twitch of the lips smile.

"Right…" Rex didn't believe that for a single second but he knew that she could tell he was hiding something but that wasn't all too surprising. He was leading her after all. "What do you want to know, then?"

"What do you know?" she asked, leaning back in her chair, ears open to whatever he had to say.

"That's a bit broad, don't you think?" Rex asked with the slightest hint of sarcasm. "I know many things, such as the return of the Aegis', both the ones she fought against and fought with."

His statement caused Morag's eyes to shoot open while Brighid stood ramrod straight.

"I could tell you about how the Consul of yours outside is colluding with Chairman Bana of the Argentum Trade Guild and that both are working with TORNA. I could tell you about the secret operation currently running in the Old Factory near the Chansangh Wastes that's used to supply TORNA." Rex continued, looking at the two. They were seconds away from breaking, their eyes almost bulging. "Of course, that's a bit too broad isn't it."

"…"

Mòrag sat silently.

"What terms do you wish to implement with the negotiation in exchange for information regarding the Aegis, TORNA, and all factions supporting both?" she finally asked, to which Rex gave a canary-like grin.

Hook, line, and sinker.

Rex hadn't expected to be doing negotiations, but sometimes he just had to try something new.

Two days later in the dead of night saw Mòrag and Brighid watch as a Titan ship left the port of Torigoth. This particular ship was heading on its way to Fonsa Myma in the Urayan Titan with a special VIP aboard at the Special Inquisitor's behest.

* * *

**(Third Person POV)**

"Do you think it wise to believe him?" Brighid couldn't help but ask her Driver.

"…"

"Lady Mòrag?"

"I do not," Mòrag admitted slowly, "However, he was not lying either."

Brighid's brows furrowed in slight confusion. "I'm not sure I understand, Lady Mòrag."

"I checked Dughall's personal console, there were audio files of him and Chairman Bana that has lent credence to the boy's information," Mòrag said as she turned away from the docks and began to walk, her Blade following in line with her. "The information he exchanged with us has so far been proven to be truthful. However, I do not think it wise to believe that all he told was the truth till we investigate ourselves."

"I see…" Brighid murmured. "About the operation near the Chansangh Wastes, would you like to deploy a squad to investigate?"

The Special Inquisitor shook her head. "No, we shall handle the matter personally once we have finished business in Torigoth."

"And the Aegis?"

"We shall abide by the terms of our agreement. The Aegis and its Driver, in addition to any company she may keep, is not to be pursued so long as its goals do not cause any harm to innocents." The Special Inquisitor informed her. "Should they cause innocents harm, however, then the terms of our agreement have been broken and the Aegis and company are to be imprisoned and executed."

"I- ...Understood, Lady Mòrag." Brighid hesitated for a second but agreed not a moment later.

Looking at the night sky, the Special Inquisitor could only pray to the Architect she was making the right choice. Looking at the night sky left Mòrag unable to notice as Brighid shied away from a particular store on the Torigoth market.

Brighid gave the stall of Tomi Fishmongers a slight berth as they passed it.

* * *

**(Third Person POV – Nia)**

Nia was at a loss after days of skulking around Torigoth. Sure, she'd known Rex would have been fine after he'd told them to leave, but to find out he'd been let out after two days of imprisonment and was already on a ship to Uraya? Nia had been expecting something more at least.

' _I'll take what I can get though…'_ she thought.

Her guilty conscience may have told her that they should have tried and freed Rex if only to assuage the guilt of abandoning him but in the end, she knew it would have only created more trouble, something Pyra, Dromarch, Tora, and Poppi had agreed with. Therefore, it was with a heavy heart that they left him behind to travel to the World Tree with the help of Tora and Poppi, both of which who had become close friends with through their mutual acquaintance of Rex and were quite happy to assist them.

Nia looked around the boat Tora's uncle had been kind enough to allow them to borrow on the condition that they procure the required materials and find the missing Titan. 'Still can't believe she's an 'artificial blade'.' she thought as she watched Pyra, Dromarch, and Poppi converse.

Finding out that Poppi had been what was known as an Artificial Blade has led to much confusion for the intruding trio when Tora and Poppi fought alongside them while getting the required wood for the boat. It did, however, prove that both Tora and Poppi were strong and skilled enough to hold their own.

"Wow…" Tora's awed gasp broke her out of her musing. Looking at him she found him looking up, her own view following suit.

Her breath got stuck in her throat.

Slowly their Titan ship drifted closer and closer to the base of the World Tree. She faintly felt Pyra and Dromarch join her at her side. "So tha's the World Tree, huh?" she breathed out, gazing upon its sheer size, "I've never seen it so close before…"

"It very big!" Tora understated with Poppi nodding beside him.

Nia noticed though that there was a section surrounding the World Tree where the Cloud Sea just seemed to _fall_. "The current here's really strong…" she noted as she grabbed a grip on the steering wheel. "If we fall in that, we're toast…"

"Pyra, you've any idea how to get past tha'?" Nia asked her Blade.

…

…

"Pyra?" Nia turned around at her silence, Pyra seemingly staring at the World Tree with a thousand-yard stare.

"We… Nia, we need to go!" Pyra urgently said, surprising Nia with her suddenness. "We can't stay here!"

"Wha'? What're you blabberin' about Pyra?" Nia looked at her in confusion.

The Cloud Sea bulged before shooting up, causing the boat to rock violently. "Woah!" Nia yelped, barely grabbing onto the steering wheel to steady herself while everyone tried to grab onto the railings of the boat the best they could.

A shadow descended upon them causing them to look up.

"Wha' the hell is tha'?!" Nia asked as she took in the giant purple serpentine monster looming over them.

"Ophion!"

Nia looked over at Pyra. "Who now- ?!" she asked but was cut off as the monster's body surged upwards, causing the boat to shake even more. Ophion looked down at them and-

_Screeech!_

"Gaaah!" Nia grimaced as the screech tortured her sensitive ears. She'd vaguely heard Pyra yell out something but her ringing ears could barely hear, judging from the tone though, it probably was something like "We need to go!", something Nia was fully on board with.

Giving the steering wheel a spin, the titan ship gave a turn and began its quick getaway. She could still hear Pyra saying stuff but none of it was making its way through the ringing of her ears.

Suddenly she was left with a feeling of utter weightlessness.

_Thud!_

Pain blossomed as she slammed against the floor of the ship, barely missing her head against the steering wheel by inches. Hastily grabbing the wheel, she looked back and noticed the monster move back towards the World Tree."

"W-Wha'? W-wha' was tha' Pyra?" Nia asked between sharp pained breathes, her ribs aching as she struggled to steer the ship. It was not to be though as the wheel barely took effect, the boat seemingly following a strong current rather than the steering wheel.

"My Lady!" Dromarch's yell caught her attention causing her to look forward.

"O-oh damn it!" Nia sputtered a course as she realised why the current was so strong. They were being pulled into the mouth of a Titan.

The Titan of Uraya.

"Everyone! Hold on!" Nia yelled before they were swallowed by darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so lol, got halfway through writing this, read 'Inquisitor Nyah' on AO3 and thought 'y'know, let's just fuck my canon-centric story right off!' and now I've gone off the rails. Everything I said would be in this story such as pan-fried tartari has now been kicked off.
> 
> Nia will follow Canon for the most part (sadly) while Rex now has his own thing going on while till he meets up with the main cast, yay! Won't take long though.
> 
> With what I was going to write, it wouldn't make sense for Nia to break out Rex. Like Rex is just a salvager, not a member for TORNA, he's not about to be executed or anything. Also, she'd only known Rex for around three to four days at most, yeah she cares for him in that little time, but she couldn't break him out lest he gets hurt (she doesn't know he's a Driver, as well and won't for a while).
> 
> Also, the whole Torigoth thing happened because they were trying to lure Pyra out of hiding to eliminate her and all that jazz, but at the time Rex was captured, Mòrag and Brighid did not know about the existence of the Aegis till he tells them.
> 
> Also, I just find the whole Torigoth breakout scene stupid, like it's cool and all in the first playthrough but in the second one you just realise they can go back through the entrance they originally came through and not have to explore a whole ship of Arrdanian troops looking for another exit.
> 
> P.S Still no idea where I'm going with this story.

**Author's Note:**

> Base ether form is basically my way of having it so that he not all of his blades are present cause it'd be a pain to write all twenty-six rare blades. Also, cause PLOT. Imagine 'Astral Form' of Servants from the Fate series.
> 
> Pyra's vanishing thing in fire like a phoenix? Yeah, that's a plot device, don't have an explanation and thought 'fuck it this'll do'.
> 
> So, some things to clear up about Rex.
> 
> As he is now he's basically what happens when you finish the first playthrough at level 99 with the best chips available, all rare blades excluding quest or story given ones, S+ Trust, and DLC involved before going onto NG+ which was what I did sans all the rare blades. I only had most of them except for some of the quest blades.
> 
> By the time I hit chapter 5-6 I already had my party at Level 99 by farming in Temperantia which made the rest of the game ridiculously easy especially with Corvin and Crossette.
> 
> He's so stupidly OP right now it's actually almost funny, however, he won't be using his Blades, for the most part, predominantly sticking with his metal sword but will eventually begin to use his Blades later on.
> 
> Why? Cause PLOT. Which means badass reveal that Rex is OP later in the story.
> 
> Do I know what I'm going to do with this story moving forward? Will I continue this story? Who knows, review and favorite and all that jazz and I might.


End file.
